Golf is played in many countries throughout the world and is a sport practiced and enjoyed by many persons in all classes of playing skills. Many players find enjoyment and beneficial practice in driving golf balls as exemplified by driving ranges, driving tees with net cages. Practice balls made of plastic or knitted yarns are used where flight distances are restricted. Also tethered practice balls are included in this latter category.
The current invention combines the advantages of many of the foregoing including full force and direction of each drive with a low cost of use and a minimum of space.
The device uses a golf ball driven from a practice tee in the usual manner but limited in its flight by a tether especially constructed to allow for a brief flight, then loss of velocity whereby the ball is brought to rest on the ground together with a length of tether displaced by the brief flight. The length of the tether adjacent its anchor end is of weighted material such as link chain while the remaining length of tether connected to the golf ball is of lightweight cord. The lightweight cord when of sufficient length and in a proper arc between the weighted portion and the tee prevents the head of the golf club from contacting the heavy part of the tether. The lightweight cord enables the ball to have a brief flight until the chain is picked up which gradually decreases the velocity of the golf ball so that it comes to rest on the ground also having displaced a portion of the chain. The length of displaced chain lying on the ground and its direction relative to the tee serves as a means to indicate distance and direction, upon proper calibration, thus simulating an actual drive.